Fire testing according to ISO 5660-1

Purpose

The test method is used for fire technical modelling. The data from the test results can be used for modelling bigger fires. A fire sequence in the ISO 9705 – Room Corner Test and EN 13823 – SBI can for example be predicted using the ISO 5660 method.

The method is also widely used in testing at the product development stage. One can compare a variety of measurement data and thus find the variant of the product that seems most promising to proceed with in further tests.

The test method is also used for third party verification (production control).

The method is cost effective in product development and production control. 

Method

When testing a product according to ISO 5660, a sample with the dimension 100 mm x 100 mm is subjected to a specific irradiance level. The surface of the sample is heated and starts to emit pyrolysis gases that ignite by a spark igniter. The emitted gases are collected in a hood and transported away through a ventilation system. The heat release is measured using the data on measured oxygen concentration in the emitted smoke. The smoke production is measured continually throughout the test with a laser system.

The following parameters are measured in the method: Ignition properties, Heat release rate (kW/m²), total heat release (MJ/m²), mass loss (g/s), effective net heat of combustion (MJ/kg) and smoke production rate (m²/s). Levels of toxic gases can also be measured with FTIR analysis.

Deliveries

A test report, in Swedish or English, is delivered with the test results after testing.